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Arrow Review: The Mission Comes First

This week's Arrow earned a cold hard five stars! Everyone was involved in "Damaged," as there was a balance between love, family, business... and vigilante ass kicking.

After his arrest, Oliver backed Laurel against a wall when he proclaimed he wouldn't have an attorney represent him unless it was her. Was anyone really surprised that Laurel caved? Things have certainly thawed between this former couple over the past few weeks.

Hands down, my favorite scene was Laurel and Oliver in his bedroom at the party. You know, the "Burning Man meets Shawshank Redemption" soiree that was in poor taste but simultaneously brilliant and amusing. Laurel hated Oliver even when she found out he was alive. Do you really blame her? Oliver was cheating on her with her sister when the yacht went down. Not only did she lose her love, but she lost part of her family. It took her awhile to realize that she wasn't the only one who suffered.

It may have taken a few weeks and a polygraph test to shift the relationship between these two, but they are definitely in a different place now. Sometimes the chemistry between people just cannot be ignored. Laurel hadn't ever thought what Oliver might've gone through on that island. When he was being targeted by others, her mama bear instinct to protect him came out, even if it put her at odds with her own father.

I was so focused on what happened to my family that I didn't even stop and wonder what could've happened to you. | permalink

Well, for starters, there was a lot of torture. We finally met Deathstroke, though I felt it wasn't super clear that the masked man on the island who tortured Oliver was this infamous character. Maybe this is something that was easier for the comic book fans to pick up on, but either way he will definitely be a major force over the coming weeks. It's interesting that Oliver's loyalty and instincts kicked in right away on the island.

Oliver technically didn't know the original Arrow at all, but that guy did save him and keep him alive. He sensed that the other dude who captured him was shady and not to be trusted. Trust seems to be a huge theme on this show. Oliver wants to tell his family the truth but knows he can't. Walter finally knows that Moira has been lying and betraying his trust by keeping the salvaged yacht in a warehouse.

I have to say, I've been surprised with the turn Moira has taken. In the pilot, I thought she was just awful. Yes, she may be working with the men on "the list" but I get the feeling it's not necessarily at her own free will. She did not put out the order for that security guard to be killed, she seemed genuinely upset that Walter was taking an indefinite leave of absence, and she issued quite the threat:

If any member of my family so much as gets a paper cut, I will burn your entire world to ashes. | permalink

Wow! Remind me to keep that one in my arsenal for future use! I'm interested to see more of Moira's interactions with the people who know about the list.

As predicted by many of you readers, Diggle took Oliver's place as the hooded man while Oliver was under house arrest. Throwing an obnoxious party was the perfect way to show people he was still just a playboy who couldn't possibly be out taking down criminals. After all, you can't be in two places at once.

Laurel and Detective Lance aren't dumb, but Oliver is keeping a pretty good cover for now. What did you think of this week's episode? How would you rank the kiss between Oliver and Laurel? What would you have worn to the prison party? What did you think of Deathstroke's introduction? Hit the comments!